Catheters, such as those used in cardiovascular applications, are comprised of an elongate electrode-carrying element mounted on a distal end of a handle. The handle has at least one connector so that a patient cable can be connected to a proximal end of the handle to feed signals through the handle to the electrodes. Often, these catheters include steering mechanisms or stylets arranged within the electrode-carrying element to effect steering and/or deflection of a distal end of the electrode-carrying element.
Such an arrangement results in an expensive piece of equipment, particularly, the handle, which has the at least one connector and cabling. Also, because of voids in the electrode-carrying element and in the interior of the handle, it is not possible, generally, to effect sufficient sterilization of such catheters enabling them to be reused. Thus, in most cases, the catheters are used once only and are then disposed of.
Not only does this create a substantial expense, but there is the environmental problem of disposal of potentially hazardous items.